052816 - Frayed Knot
CAT RIGHT NOW opened memo on board LOQAQ. CAT made AT an OP. CURRENT aproposProphetiae CAP RIGHT NOW responded to memo. CAP: He's sitting quietly in his quartz cone, studying his book. CAT: Aaisha has been looking toward the quartz structure for a while, fiddling with her hands and her skirt, the skirt very much needing a new hemming now. Taking a deep breath she stands up, glancing back at Lorrea briefly before making a slow progress to the cone. Outside she stops, "...Hey Nyarla?" CURRENT allodicTemperament CAT RIGHT NOW responded to memo. CAT: Lorrea drifts after her, keeping her distance, but listening. CAP: He closes the book, slipping it back into the backpack that was beside him as he exits the cone. "Yeah?" CAT: Her hands are twisting together, eyes facing down and eyebrows furrowed. "Okay, um we need. To talk? Mmm.." She reaches up to scratch around the bands of the crown before snatching her hand down and looking up at him. CAP: He looks her up and down, noting the body language. "What's going on?" He sounds concerned. CAP: He does eye the crown for a moment, because where did that come from? CAT: Tension leaves her shoulders, relaxing a bit as her chin lifts a little and her fingers stop twisting so much. "I think.." she pauses, her lips thinning as she struggles with herself. "I think we might want to take.. a break?" Aaisha reaches up and brushes at her eyes, though her stance is firm. CAP: He looks at her for a long moment. His eyes are focused as if reading her, but his overall expression is remarkably neutral. "And where'd this come from?" CAT: She winces, hands fisting in her skirt and her features twist, conflicted. "Just.. multiple places." There are tears, but she's doing a remarkable job at holding them back. Her shoulders are straighter, and she's not trembling as much as before. She seems to have gained some confidence from somewhere. CAP: His features soften as does his voice. "Aaisha please, come in and let's actually have this talk." He gestures to the inside of the cone. "You can't just say 'multiple places'' CAT: Aaisha's head tilts as if she's trying to catch a sound better, and she's quiet as she considers something. "...Okay. We can do that." She just barely glances back to Lorrea. CAT: Lorrea nods, slightly, and remains where she is for the moment. CAP: He steps in, motioning her to follow. "So...where'd all this come from?" His voice is low. CAT: She follows him inside, folding her hands around near her waist and looking down considering her next words. "Mmm, I don't know. I don't like it... but right now. I think it would help both of us... for a bit." CAP: "How do you not know?" CAP: "You already said you've got multiple sources, what'd they say?" CAP: "I'd ask who, but it's fairly obvious." CAT: Her shoulders tense, and she bites her lips. She frowns, her voice a little hard. "It's not just Lorrea, why do you hate her so much?" CAP: He raises an eyebrow, a frown setting in. "I hadn't said it was 'just' her. And I don't hate her at all, she's just a nuisance. If you must have an answer, when I asked 'you and Serios' about the Okiku, she invited herself, gave her unwanted two cents, and deliberately twisted my words in front of you." He says it all casually. CAP: "I answered, now will you?" CAT: Aaisha flinches looking up, "You think I would twist your words? Nyarla I was there, she wasn't twisting anything. She was following me, and honestly something like an okiku I'd like to know why you wanted it too." Her hands are clenched together, though her voice is steady. "You think I would turn on you that quickly?" CAP: "I didn't accuse you. And I want to study them. Their make and abilities could prove invaluable for plans best left secret for the sake of spies until I find a properly discreet medium. And who said you turned on me? Because I said no such thing." CAP: "Why are you so defensive about what I think of your relationship with Lorrea?" CAT: "You expected me to twist your words, you just.." her voice is a furious whisper. "How else am I supposed to take that other? Nyarla I'm defensive about /Lorrea./ Do you know what it's like being between you two? Hearing the arguments? /Waking up to them./" CAT: "There are others way to comminicate plans before going after dangerous objects." CAT: ((communicate)) CAP: He's keeping an even, if soft tone. "I don't expect you to twist my words. Why don't you accept that I trust you? She and I have issues with each other, we fight frequently, and I wish that we could properly keep it away from you. I keep it to a minimum when I know that you're around. It's actually prime time to go on at length about this and that, but I won't, I have more respect for you than that. The important thing is that my relationship with her doesn't impact my relationship with you in anyway on my end." CAP: "And there are actually precious few ways to communicate potentially vital plans regarding dangerous objects." CAT: "Because it doesn't seem like you trust me at all, do you remember Bothwell? And that entire incident and following headache?" She takes a deep breath. "And just now you /asked/ Nyarla. You asked, if I was going to twist them like she does. You say you have respect for me but then you're constantly at my moirail who I also trust with my life." CAT: "It impacts me. A lot. It impacts Lorcan. I'm afraid one of you is going to kiill each other," she tugs at her fingers, "You could use your aspect. For communication." CAP: "I trust you more than anyone." He sighs heavily. "Yes, I remember Bothwell. It was a mess and I felt that you had no trust for me. And when did I ask if you would twist my words? Because I most certainly didn't say anything like that in the past thirty seconds we've been speaking. And do you want me to actually go on at length about her or something? There's more to it than me constantly being at her. I'm sorry that it impacts you. With Lorcan, she was told what I was able to recognize as blatant falsehood and chose to believe it over the word of her moirail. She's free to speak to me and lately I told her that I trust in her in spite of her connection to Lorrea." CAP: "And I doubt we'd kill each other, unless she were to make the first move. I don't want her dead and if she died, I'd have to deal with her in the Archives." CAP: "And I not so sure it works like that. Yeah, I could say, leave a message in the future, but that's not reliable or fool proof. And I doubt you could share in the vison" CAP: "On to the meat of the matter before we're too far sidetracked. You were busy breaking up with me." CAT: Aaisha takes a breath, hand straying to her head as she closes her eyes and frown. "I was sure you just asked... no? I misheard. I'm sorry. And with Bothwell I /did/ trust you Nyarla, it's that future I didn't. I checked Bothwell, Lilah checked Bothwell and you checked Bothwell and everything fit. I trust Ari, and what Ari said made sense. It doesn't just impact me it's..." She's gnawing at her lip now. "What do you mean Lorrea lied to Lorcan? In spite of? Nyarla... yes I want to seperate for a while but that doesn't have to mean forever. And you can leave notes in the past, you can even leave /warnings/ in the past for us to find. Which choices and paths we should avoid." CAP: "If you trusted me back then, then you'd /know/ that that future couldn't happen. If I felt support instead of fear and mistrust then I'd have been much calmer in dealing with that whole fiasco. And no, it didn't check out. Lila and I disagreed. And being 'out of place' in our timeline doesn't meant 'from the future'. And yes, I'm calling Lorrea a liar. She's a chronic liar. We grew up lying to each other for fun. And she's so much better at it than I am." He's starting to seem frustrated, before taking a breath, visibly calmng."Time doesn't work that way, if I left a message for the past, we'd have come across it. Furthermore, the past can't be changed. The events that happened, happened. Changing the past would, at best, create another timeline that we wouldn't experience. At worst, doom us all. Heh, and that's if I knew how to leave messages in the past." CAP: "I honestly don't mind the break. I once proposed it to you, remember? It's in both our best interests, possibly everyone's. I just want to know why exactly." CAP: "After all we've been through, what could be the straw to break the humpbeast's back?" CAT: "What lie did she tell Lorcan? And you know let's just forget Bothwell because we've already had this discussion and it's going no where fast," her words are quick and sharp as she opens her eyes gently rubbing her temple. "And I really don't want that headache to come back so I'm not going to try wrangling the semantics of Time." CAT: Her gaze is hurt as she speaks next. CAT: "I don't... want to do this there's a reason I've resisted so long but I can't go deaf forever and I can't take... worrying about your safety forever when you don't seem to give a damn about it," her voice has gone quiet and she sniffs, "What breaks the humpbeast's back? Heh, Nyarla I had someone suggest cutting out your tongue because of your disobidience toward authority."" CAP: "A couple lies that I don't care to remember." He waves it off. "Bothwell won't be forgotten as long as there's suspicion that he wants me dead unless that's what you'd prefer." He takes a pause. "You shouldn't have resisted, I told you myself that I wasn't worth it. I care a lot about my safety, but the way a lot of you behave at times leads me to think I'm the only one who does. If you want my tongue cut out then do it if you really think it's right." CAP: "Whoever it is that told you that though, they ought to recognize that authority requires consent of those under it." CAP: "That's why Alternia was laden with rebellions." CAP: "If this so called "authority" comes for me, fine, I'll deal with that myself. But what's a life spent in shackles?" CAT: Aaisha grits her teeth, "I doubt Bothwell is going to come back, and if you're so quick to forget whatever lies she told Lorcan then I suppose those don't matter," she laughs lowly, hand sliding through her hair, "You never listen. Aren't worth it? How many times have I told you, you are. And caring for your own safety doesn't mean risking death over grist. I /don't/ want to cut out your tongue Nyarla." CAT: She rumbles low in her chest. CAT: "I am the authority last I checked, and funnily enough I think you gave your consent." CAP: "You don't know that he won't. And I'm not "quick to forget" I'm just tired of pouring over the bullshit, I want to move on and not be held back by her." He rolls his eyes. "I was safe when I went after that grist. I actually looked into the future before I went. I found no danger and no trouble, only a path that would lead me to what I wanted. Yeah, I swore myself to you. When and how have I disobeyed? What command have I ignored since then?" CAT: "I know that he went back to his timeline," her voice slowly grows cold, "And what about the rest of us? Worrying you were going to fall to you death. I would've jumped after you. Do you understand the panic you were causing?" The rumbling in her chest quiets. "You swore to me, but why? Because you respect me? Because your loyal to me? Or are you going to ignore it later? Last I looked, you weren't respecting my decisions or chooices nor were you trusting them." CAT: Aaisha leans forward. CAT: "You haven't ignored a command, I'd rather I didn't have to command you. But you know what Nyarla? I don't think it's Lorrea holding you back. I think it's yourself, and all you're doing is sowing dissent where it's not needed." CAT: "Do you even realize you're doing that?" CAP: "Psh, yeah, his timeline far removed from ours. And you could have, you know, voiced an opinion on the climb." He roughly combs a hand through his hair. "I swore to you beause I love and respect you. I do disagree with some of your choices, loyalty is not blind obedience. I have a right to disagree, but I haven't nagged or hassled you on them, only done my best to understand you, no matter how hard that is at times." He scoffs "Holding myself back? I'm really the only one pushing myself forward. It's pretty clear that you no support me. Not a one of you actually trusts me. And how exactly am I sowing dissent? That's quite the accusation, I'd like to see you back it up." CAP: ((you don't support*)) CAP: He tone is a mixture of frustration and resignment. "Aaisha, you'd better be certain. Because what you're accusing me of is treason. I can disgree all I wish on my own time, but treason? The Empire must act." CAT: Her hands clench and she bites through her lip. There's shards in her eyes. "Are you blind? We've all been willing to support you but you haven't let us! Nyarla I've been here the entire time, I've tried to.. did my words just never reach you? You hassled me on Ari, you hassled me with Bothwell," her voice breaks and she's actively starting to cry, "You don't trust me, you didn't even respect what I tried to do with the Deal until I told you to shut up. You just kept aruging! Telling me you weren't worth. I thought you were worth it Nyarla didn't that matter at ALL? I thought you were worth THOUSANDS of sweeps with GLISSA." Aaisha's voice had been rising, her hands straying up to the crown on her head. "You argue with Lorrea you argue with me, you argue with Serios and Libby and Lorcan sowing dissent does not have to be TREASON. WHy. Do you DO THAT. You always use my title against me stop, stop doing that. Either accept me as Empress, respect it, or STOP BRINGING IT UP." Aaisha tugs on the crown, a whine of pain sounding in the back of her throat and then she's turning and leaving the quartz cone. CAT: Lorrea moves forwards, her steps becoming audible shortly after Aaisha raises her voice, and it's only a matter of seconds before she appears in the 'doorway' of the crystalline cone. CAP: He weaves around her with a flashstep, blocking her exit. Righteous determination projecting from him. "Have you even considered that your so called support hasn't come off as well as intended? That maybe you both underestimated and overestimated me? You clearly that don't understand me and that hurts, Aaisha. The only ones who seemed to have given my feelings a second thought are our enemies. Using me against you and you against me. I'm stubborn as a motherfucker, but I've reached out to you. Clung to you as my solace." His tone switches to one of sadness. "I've worn my heart on my sleeve, eager to please you. but you've only ever dismissed me. You challenge whatever I believe. I can't have an opinion without someone thinking I'm a fool. I feel as if I'm in danger and I come to you, but to you it's just hassling? You once wished to sell me to Scarlet, who you still trust more than me even after my death. Even after Serios' death. After Carayx and Lorrea were affected. You chose to take on that trial from Antera even after I figured out the pattern of that spectre shit. And even if Bothwell doesn't come back, his visit still ended with one of us dead. You refused to listen to me to stand down when I was taken, throwing yourself into a deal before we'd had the chance to analyze the situation properly. It paralleled when I'd been scammed by Glissa. It's not a matter of trusting Ari, it's the principle of it. I've learned from my mistakes. I do everything I can to make the wiser decisions. I know I'm not perfect like everyone thinks I think I am. But I'm not the monster that everyone wants to claim I'll become. I argue with a lot of people, yeah. I've got personality. I've got flaws. We come from a world where only two things will get you anywhere. Blood and strength of will. And I don't use your title against you. If I look to you as an empress, I must be sure of you. It's independant of my love for you. I need to believe in you as a leader, for my sanity's sake and for the sake of everyone else. I care about you all. I know what atrocities I've been party to, it's why I want to leave things to you. I want to see you strong, thriving, and safe. That's why I can't let you go out of your way for my sake. We've talked about this a few times. Your position. Your responsibility. There's more to it than thrones and commands. There's a reason all the other empresses' rules when as they did. They were all unfit. They subjuggated their people, fought off rebellions, grew complacent, and got offed by some ten sweep old upstart. I don't want that to be you. I want you to be better than them and certainly better than me. The path I've walked is one that I'll be on until my dying days, but if there's one thing that I want to be proud of, it's you. Nothing good comes from catering to me and especially not from behaving as /I/ would." He's made the transition from sadness into an unflinching determination, stepping aside. "Please, just hear what I'm saying to you. For what honestly feels like it might be the first time. Listen to me about something other than fashion or sweet nothings. This has gone on for too long. We can't talk about anything of substance. It's what allowed this to happen. I can write you poetry and sing songs, but I haven't yet been able to tell you any of this. Because I don't want to hurt you or don't want to bring up the past or whatever other reasons that this game tore us apart." CAT: Lorrea draws to a stop in the doorway, shock moving across her face, and then fury. Her eyes narrow as Nyarla talks. CAT: "The game has done nothing." CAT: "You arre sellff righteous and don't know how to respect anyone." CAT: "Get out of the way, Nyarrlla." CAT: "If you didn't want to hurrrt herr, you woullld see herrr tearrs and you woullld have STOPPED." CAT: "Orrr arre you just that DENSE." CAP: He just sighs. "You know nothing Lorrea. I'm not fighting with you." CAT: "I am not asking you, Nyarrlla." CAT: "I am not asking you what I know." CAT: "Because you'llll see that I know you, and you'lll deny it." CAP: "Only you don't know me." CAT: "And you'llll keep acting lllike you're some new trrollll, but you arren't." CAP: "You won't hold me back." CAT: "No one is holllding you back." CAT: "We arrren't yourr enemies." CAP: "Then leave me be." CAP: "You sure don't treat me like an ally." CAT: "THEN LLLEAVE MY FUCKING MOIRRRAILLL BE, YOU WORRRTHLLESS SACK OF SHIT." CAT: "YOU ARREN'T FULLLL OF HOLLLES. PRROVE ME WRRONG. HERRRE'S YOURR CHANCE." CAP: He rolls his eyes at her. "She's free to go. Just get out of my face." CAP: "This is boring, Lorrea." CAT: "No. This is pathetic." CAT: Lorrea steps back, gesturing at Aaisha. CAT: Aaisha stands there, eyes wide and shocked her lips trembling. She flinches when Lorrea yells. CAT: Slowly she turns to look at Nyarla. "Did nothing I say... ever reach you?" CAP: "Gods forbid, I express my feelings." CAT: Lorrea growls, under her breath. CAT: "Gods forrbid, you acknowllledge someone elllse's." CAP: He waves Lorrea off. "Some things did. Some didn't." CAT: Quietly Aaisha starts laughing, hysteria bubbling up in her throat. CAT: Lorrea moves forwards, moving to take one of Aaisha's arms. Her free hand twitches. CAP: "It's not for lack of trying to understand you. I truly wish I did." He sounds tired. CAP: "If we could magically be on the same page, I'd see it done." CAT: "You said I was your solace.. but Nyarla. Have you considered? Considered what I clung to when I was ABANDONED FOR SWEEPS!!" CAT: "You don't need magic." CAT: There's a growl deep in her throat and then she's lunging forward toward him. CAP: "It haunts me in every instance." He doesn't move. CAT: Lorrea winces, slightly, and she tries to hold Aaisha back by her arm- but she really can't do much. CAT: Aaisha barely even noticed Lorrea hanging out, she screams as she slams into Nyarla using her full weight to knock him down and dragging the jadeblood with her. CAT: Lorrea hangs on for dear life. CAT: Her hands start closing around his throat. CAP: He's struggling to breath around her hands especially after being slammed onto the ground. "Aa-Sha." He struggles to fight her grip. CAT: Lorrea is going to pull on one of Aaisha's arms, once she regains her balance. CAP: "Sn't how you...want this to go" CAT: This is immediately followed by Lorrea doing as Lorrea does, and biting Aaisha's arm. CAP: He's manages to get his feet underneath himself, taking off in a flashstep. Using the speed to rip himself out of her grip before it's too late. CAT: Sobs roll through her, she's hyperventilating but her grip loosens and she jerks her arms back when Lorrea bites her. She may or may not have slammed an elbow into Lorrea's nose if she's not careful. Nyarla nyooms away before Aaisha can do anything. CAT: "I don't want this to happen at all!" she actively screaming. CAT: "Why can't you just let the past go??" CAP: He's stumbled into the far side of the cone. Rubbing his sore neck, dark blue handprints rapidly apprearing. CAT: Lorrea reels, quickly, the elbow making contact, but only barely, as Lorrea takes a step back. CAT: Lorrea then reaches out to take Aaisha's arm, again, if she can. CAT: The fuchsia jumps only slightly but she doesn't argue it. CAT: "Nothing... I ever said.. reached you.." CAT: Lorrea is going to try and guide Aaisha away, and out of the cone. CAT: She isn't going to resist, she follows Lorrea in a daze. CAP: He says nothing for fear of making it worse. CAT: Lorrea pulls Aaisha from the cone, and towards a further side of the cavern. Her grip on Aaisha's arm shifts to wrapping her arm around Aaisha entirely- as well as she can- before she moves to guide Aaisha to sit. CAT: Aaisha sits, still in a daze and her breathing slowing down. CAT: Lorrea kneels in front of her, and uncaptchalogues her T-shirt. With her teeth, she tears a strip free, as she has done so much before. CAT: Then she moves to wrap it around the bite mark on Aaisha's arm. "I'm sorrrry," she whispers. CAT: There's a deep rattling breath and Aaisha shakes her head. "I...I was choking him." CAT: Lorrea doesn't say anything, but pulls the impromptu bandage tight, before moving to check over Aaisha, squinting at where her teeth broke the skin on her lip. CAT: The sobs are coming back, "O-ohgo-osh Lorrea I, I h-hurt him,," CAT: Lorrea sets her hands on Aaisha's shoulders, for a moment, before moving in to hug her where she sits. "He's going to be okay, and so arre you." CAT: She sobs into Lorrea's shoulder, arms coming up around the jadeblood shakely for a second before dropping them. "Wwhy why I don't want to argue I dont wnat Glissa here..." CAT: "You're safe." CAT: "You're safe, Aaisha." CAT: "Repeat that, okay?" CAT: "Noono she'll always alwayssg be here.. aah" she closes her eyes tight. "I, im." CAT: "You're safe." CAT: "I'm herre. She isn't." CAT: Lorrea lightly brushes a hand on Aaisha's cheek. CAT: "You're safe." CAT: She only keeps crying into Lorrea's shoulder, slowly shaking her head. But her arms come up again and she clings to the jadeblood. CAT: Lorrea quietly hums, her chest rumbling, and she runs her hand through Aaisha's hair, her hand carefully avoiding the crown. Category:Aaisha Category:Lorrea Category:Nyarla